Cabin Assignments, if you book a GUARANTEE

[HookedAfterOne]

I know that technically HAL can make the cabin assignments as late as Embarkation Day ... and I know I should just be patient and wait ... and the minute I stop obsessing about it, they will probably be assigned. However, when it comes to cruising, I just don't have a patient bone in my body. There must be some of you out there that have booked a "guaranteed category" before ... and while I know that your experience may not be the same as mine ... but generally speaking ... when do you think they will come out with the cabin assignments... a month ahead of time, a couple of weeks, a week, a couple of days ... I am driving myself nuts here ... any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[catl331]

We've done 8 guarantees. Six of them have been assigned at 10 or 11 days out, one at 18, and one at 3. One of the 11-day ones was re-assigned (higher) at 3 days out. Most people report here getting them 12 to 8 days out.

 

We are now waiting for our 9th gty assignment, and are presently 17 days out. Yes, we'd like to know right now, but it'll come. :)

[HookedAfterOne]

We've done 8 guarantees. Six of them have been assigned at 10 or 11 days out, one at 18, and one at 3. One of the 11-day ones was re-assigned (higher) at 3 days out. Most people report here getting them 12 to 8 days out.

 

We are now waiting for our 9th gty assignment, and are presently 17 days out. Yes, we'd like to know right now, but it'll come. :)

 

 

Thanks for the quick reply ... and good to know I am not alone in my "antsiness"! :)

[FPIII]

We always book the guaranteed cabin. Often we don't know the room assignment prior to arriving at the ship's check in because we tend to travel the week or ten days before the cruise. But it has never been a concerns of ours because we always assume we will be inside the ship somewhere. Never been disappointed. We tend to book the least expensive inside cabin and once made it all the way to a balcony. So not sure what your concern is about the cabin assignment.

[taxmantoo]

... a month ahead of time, a couple of weeks, a week, a couple of days ... Thanks!

 

It will definitely be one of the above ;) Or then again maybe not ... it may be as late as embarkation.

[SilvertoGold]

On last year's cruises we were assigned generally 15- 12 days out. The usual range seems to be 20 to 5 days. Good luck with the waiting!

[HookedAfterOne]

Thanks everyone ... I am not really concerned ... I'm just excited ... and want to figure out where we are ... traveling with two of my sisters and their spouses, we all booked guarantees so I was just wanting to figure out where I was in relation to where they are ... like I said, not a big deal ... just excited :) that's all ... thanks again!

[Rowsby]

Thanks everyone ... I am not really concerned ... I'm just excited ... and want to figure out where we are ... traveling with two of my sisters and their spouses, we all booked guarantees so I was just wanting to figure out where I was in relation to where they are ... like I said, not a big deal ... just excited :) that's all ... thanks again!

 

We booked a guarantee for the first time and we are excited too......alot of "hurry up and wait"...!!!

[TiogaCruiser]

Do just check your reservation profile. Check the printable luggage tags. Someone posted here assignment may show up there 24 hours prior to displaying in your reservation. It happened to me on my last cruise ( and my TA was a bit surprised I knew before she did.)

[kakalina]

It is odd but it usually does show up on the luggage tags first. We normally book guarantees.

I think 22 of our 26 cruises have been guarantees. I also want to know ASAP. Don't ask me why as in the scheme of things it really doesn't matter. Most of the time we find out about 10 days before the cruise. Sometimes a bit more sometimes a bit less. Once or twice not until we arrived at the terminal.

 

Our firm mantra is "the longer the wait the better the cabin". No basis in fact of course, it just helps us get through the looooong wait.

 

Good luck on finding out sooner rather than later, and have a wonderful cruise.

[angiemck]

I am also waiting for my cabin assignment for our May 6th cruise. I was wondering, will I recieve my assignment from my travel agent or will HAL contact me directly. I keep checking my online document and my email hoping to find out something.

[jtl513]

... will I recieve my assignment from my travel agent or will HAL contact me directly. I keep checking my online document and my email hoping to find out something.

Since you used a TA all interaction must go through him/her. Ours usually calls a day or two after I already know from checking our CheckIn obsessively!

 

I'm not positive, but I don't think I've ever gotten an email from HAL telling me an assignment.

[CruiseMaven1234]

We've done guarantees twice, both came in 10 days ahead of time, and we were very pleased in both instances. First time was an upgrade from a guarantee VH (entry-level verandah) to an AFT (!!) verandah, and the second time was an upgrade from a guarantee VE to a "V" on the Navigation Deck (with a deep balcony).

[SilvertoGold]

I am also waiting for my cabin assignment for our May 6th cruise. I was wondering, will I recieve my assignment from my travel agent or will HAL contact me directly. I keep checking my online document and my email hoping to find out something.

 

We have always received an email from HAL: "change to your booking", which is the calling card of the Upgrade Fairy.

So, check your email, early and often. I NEVER check more that 6 times a day, unless, of course, it is under 10 days out!!!!

 

Good luck and have a great cruise!

[George C]

We also mostly do guarantees and received cabin ## last week for our 4/22 cruise, but at least on CC is still waiting for theirs.

[Mumsysailor]

Since you used a TA all interaction must go through him/her. Ours usually calls a day or two after I already know from checking our CheckIn obsessively!

 

I'm not positive, but I don't think I've ever gotten an email from HAL telling me an assignment.

 

We book through our TA and can still see everything online. Login and if necessary put in your booking number. We do our own online check in and print our own luggage tags. I don't think our TA has ever informed us of our stateroom assignment, we find it out for ourselves.

 

Mumsy.

[VallyD]

We got ours at 8-12 days prior I believe... more on the 12 side...

[lindaler]

I am also waiting for my cabin assignment for our May 6th cruise. I was wondering, will I recieve my assignment from my travel agent or will HAL contact me directly. I keep checking my online document and my email hoping to find out something.

Our first guaranteed cabin is leaving May 6th, too. No word yet.

[SilvertoGold]

Our first guaranteed cabin is leaving May 6th, too. No word yet.

 

 

Oooooh! First guarentee! Should be another week. Hope you do very well. Please come back and let us know.

[Appygirl]

One time I booked a guarantee on the Zuiderdam to Alaska about a month before departure and didn't know until I arrived at the Vancouver port. The last time I booked a guarantee with HAL - VF - was also on the Zuiderdam because they were having some huge sales about 3 weeks out. We got a cabin assigned 12 days before sailing. I rarely book guarantees except when there's a good sale and I take my chances. Its all about being on the cruise, cabin location not so important. You get whatever's left over after everyone else has booked specific cabins so it means taking a chance on getting stuck next to the laundry room or underneath a galley or next to the housekeeping room. Fortunately there are no self serve laundry rooms on the Zuiderdam so I was willing to take my chances and last time they upgraded to a VA on the Rotterdam deck in what HAL probably thought was an undesirable location next to the aft elevators. If they'd looked at my Zaandam reservation the following month they would have seen I'd booked that exact cabin because my travelling companion is in a wheelchair and being near an elevator is perfect.

 

I'd say don't worry where your cabin is as long as you're on a cruise ship its going to be great!

[RissaRN04]

We have booked a guarantee room for our HAL on May 18th, as well. No room assignment yet, but we're about a month away. On our last cruise, we got the room assignments 4 days before sailing. We have never been disappointed with the guarantee rooms, and on this sailing we originally booked an inside guarantee and now have a verandah guarantee. I understand your "antsiness", though, as I want to print out the luggage tags and put them in my Cruise Folder! My DH laughs at me for my folder, but it keeps us organized! I agree with the other posters in that as long as you have a room inside the ship, it's a good day!

[Barlor80]

For our May 18th cruise, I noticed that our room assigment is on the luggage tag.I think I booked a guarranteed room when I purchased the cruise. Anyway, it is the cabin I picked,

[legalslave]

The first time I booked a GTY it was an inside cheapie cabin. Found out the day before the cruise and that is what we got. That sailing did overbook and I was called by the TA. They offered to give us a 10 day cruise (would be different dates) instead of the 8 day we had booked plus a large outside cabin if we would switch. This was the old Westerdam and it did not have verandahs. Could not change it due to work.

 

The 2nd time I booked a GTY was an SZ on the Oosterdam. We were assigned an SS and I was fine with that. Found out 2 or 3 days before the cruise. The 3rd time, all we were allowed to book was a GTY (repo cruise). We booked an SY GTY and we got an SY or SS and I think we found out maybe a week before the cruise.

 

This time we are booked to cruise on May 11 in a GTY. We have not heard yet and I don't expect to until closer to the cruise.

 

Diane

[Riversedge]

For our May 18th cruise, I noticed that our room assigment is on the luggage tag.I think I booked a guarranteed room when I purchased the cruise. Anyway, it is the cabin I picked,

 

If you picked your own cabin then you did not book it as a guarantee. A guarantee cabin is one where the cruiseline picks your cabin for you. We've been happy with the results but it does make you a little antsy waiting for find out where they put you.

[jtl513]

We book through our TA and can still see everything online.

Obviously I know that:

Ours usually calls a day or two after I already know from checking our CheckIn obsessively!